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Friday, January 18, 2013

Edmund Harrison: A Brickwall Broken Part 2

I have finally found the time to publish the second part of my research on my "brick wall" ancestor Edmund Harrison. He was my great great grandfather and although he did many things for the community during his time in Australia I am not quite sure he did the same for his families. As you will see, he seemed to have several families on the go, at the same time and when he returned to England with several of his children, he put the rest of his children and "wives" out of his mind and they were left to fend for themselves. One thing in my research I have found, is the importance of continually going back and researching your ancestor again and again. The number of resources that have continually become available in the last few years has been quite dramatic. I have been researching this family for nearly eighteen years and it is probably only in the last five years that I have really been able to put this amount of detail together. Even in the last six months I have found new newspapers digitised on Trove and other resources available digitally online such as at the State Library of Victoria.

I have recorded information on this particular ancestor in a timeline. I felt this was the best way to try and keep track of his movements. As you will see he seemed to be all about the place and with the families he had I was trying to keep track of who was born when and where. This will make it easier to add more information in the future and even perhaps write a short story.

1831: Edmund
Harrison baptised at West Hackney along with his sister Emily on February 3rd.
He was the son of George Berkeley Harrison, Wine Merchant and Anna Dunant of
Shacklewell Lane, Hackney.

1848:

The picture above was
drawn in about 1848 by Salome of the family. I believe Edmund is the one on the
far right as the would have been about 20 at the time. (Thanks to Phillip Bury
for a copy of this drawing.)

1850: Ellen Lonergan, his wife/partner
to be was born in Tipperary,
to parents William (John) Lonergan (Farmer) and Mary Lonergan nee Power.

1851: Edmund and
his family in London Census at 13 Gloucester Gardens, Paddington. His
occupation is listed like his father as Wine Merchant.

1853: Found an
Edmund and George Harrison arriving in Melbourne
13th May 1853 from Liverpool on the
Eagle. Edmund listed as a Merchant. A copy of pages of “The
Eagle Herald” can be found http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn4931974
and the original can be viewed at the State Library of Victoria. Some of the editing was done by E.H. could
this be Edmund and the beginning of his career as a Journo and Editor.

The Eagle Herald
was a weekly newspaper published aboard the "Eagle" ship. Francis
Boyce was the Commander during the passage from Liverpool to Melbourne. The
ship left Liverpool on February 22 and arrived at Melbourne on May 14 1853.

The Herald was started up among the traveller's to relieve the monotony
of the long sea voyage. It was printed in Melbourne as a memorial of the eleven
week trip at the Morning Herald office in Little Collins St in 1853. The Editor
was William G Murray and sub editors James Scott and Duncan Drummond. During
their travels the temperature and conditions were recorded three times a day.
The hottest temperature reached was 83 degrees on 12th March at lat 4 20 long
23 26, shortly before they would have crossed the Equator. The lowest temperature
was 41 degrees on April 19th at lat 44 39 long 41 47 with a strong south
westerly wind.

They sighted a number of places and ships on their voyage out, the
first being on March 8th called St Antonio, an island off Cape de Verd. (These
are islands off the west coast of Africa from Senegal.) On Monday 14th they were signalled by the
“Providence” from Port au Prince, Cuba on its way to London. It was noted in
the records that they had crossed the equator at 1 o'clock in the morning of
the 14th. On the 25th March they came alongside the ship “Gomelza” which was 37
days from Liverpool bound for Port Adelaide and then on 26th at noon they came
upon the “Argaum” that was 43 days from Glasgow bound for Port Phillip. On the
29th they came upon the barque “Lord Haddo” which was 42 days from Glasgow
bound for Moulmein in the East Indies.

It was recorded in the newspaper that a Discussion society be organised
to debate various topics. Mr Harrison was part of one of those discussions on
the topic “ought Australia be independent?” So, even back in those days people
were already thinking about creating an independent nation.

On the 5th April Gough's island was sighted. (This is out in the middle
of the South Atlantic Ocean.) They had passed the Cape of Good Hope on the 3rd.

Editing for the newspaper E. H. asking for articles to be delivered to
his berth c41 intermediate.

By now they were in the Southern Oceans and by mid-April had hit a
rather large storm.

On the 26th April they were on the last leg of their journey and passed
Point Nepean. The weather was now quite cold.

On arriving in Port Phillip the commander advised them of how to get
their luggage to shore. On their trip there had been one death, two births and
a marriage.

Edmund was named as a local correspondent for the "Herald" [1] in Bendigo, Victoria.

This photo is
supposed to have been taken in 1853 and was part of a larger piece described
below in “Pioneers of Bendigo”

An Edmund Harrison was found on the old
VicGold website that is now defunct. It states he was born 1826 London, England
and married in 1853 to Jane McGee born 1835 Fermanagh, Ireland.

1854: Ernest Harrison born to Edmund and Jane

1856:Thursday
11 December 1856 The Bendigo Advertiser contains an article published by Edmund
Harrison named as Hon. Sec. of the Bendigo Gold District General Hospital.

Walter Ernest
Harrison born to Edmund and Jane

1857:

Bendigo
Advertiser Friday 16 January 1857- Edmund must have been having an altercation
with the Ballarat Courier as mentioned in this piece.

Mr.
Harrison and " The. Courier.'"—We observe that a difference has
arisen between the Courier and Mr. Edmund Harrison, at present corre spondent
for the Argus. In yesterday's Courier the subject is continued, and this
gentleman's connection with this journal is pretty freely descanted upon. It
seems to us that Mr. Harrison's opponents would have done well to confine
themselves to a discussion of the truth of the statements in question, without
unnecessarily drag ging in this gentleman's connection with the Bendigo
Advertiser, and ignorantly imputing to him a share in the discussion of certain
subjects. In consequence of the insinuations contained in some of the remarks
which have appeared, we feel bound to state that Mr. Harrison's connection with
this journal, both as Reporter and Sub-editor, was highly creditable to him and
satisfactory to us.

Thursday 16 April 1857 – Bendigo Advertiser publishing a
letter on behalf of the Puddler's who had suffered losses after being moved from
their sites. He again requested a letter be published on Monday 20 April 1857 in regards to
compensation for the Puddler's.

Bendigo Advertiser Wednesday 6 May 1857-Edmund was elected as a member of
the Local Court. An owner of an opposing paper must have taken a dislike to
Edmund and written some unpleasant words about him. Edmund wrote a scathing
letter back which was published in the paper.

Bendigo Advertiser Friday 8 May 1857 Another letter was written
describing the goings on in this matter and Edmund was described by an opponent
as a “Turkey Fly” of which no one knows what that is supposed to mean.

Several mentions appear
in the coming months about some of his decisions that people were unhappy with.

Bendigo Advertiser Thursday 25 June 1857 lists
himself in an advertisement for a petition relating to the Land Bill and asking
for people to sign this petition. He lists himself as the Honorary Secretary of
this group “The
Victorian Land League”. This advertisement appeared for several months.

Bendigo Advertiser Friday 21
August 1857- An advertisement for a meeting of the subscribers of the Bendigo
Hospital convened a meeting with Edmund listed as one of these members. He is
listed as being at Williamson St.

Bendigo AdvertiserMonday 28 December 1857- A
letter written by Edmund

THE LATE
FIRE.

{To the
Editor of the Bendigo Advertiser.)

Sir,—in
your report- of the late fire, you give undue prominence to my name, as
connected with the saving of Mr. Denovan's property. I did no more than others.
The promptitude of the removal was the result of the exertions of the many that
assisted, and notonlv of those of

Yours,
&c., EDMUND HARRISON.

1858: Arthur
Harrison born to Edmund and Jane

Edmund mentioned in The Argus Thursday 25 March 1858 as attending a public
meeting of the Bendigo Puddler's also mentioned in The Bendigo Advertiser.

“The meeting
was numerously attended. Mr Iron was
unanimously voted to the chair, and the following gentlemen were appointed a
committee to draw up petitions to the Go-vernment, the Municipal Council, and
the Mining Board-namely, Robert Woods, James Iron, Edmund Harrison, William
Living- stone, and W.D.C. Denovan. It was agreed that a second meeting should
be held this evening, at 8 o'clock, of the same parties, in the same place, for
the purpose of signing the petitions, and transacting other business. The
meeting held yesterday was very unanimous in favor of obtaining compensation,
and a strong feeling prevailed against the removal of any machine unless proper
damages were allowed by the Government to all parties injured”

The Bendigo Adveriser Thursday 8 July 1858- Wondering how Edmund now claims himself as a
gold broker and wondering if this is in any way connected to his father’s links
with Life assurance companies back in England. He is listed as having
offices at Pall Mall in Sandhurst (Bendigo). Advertisements for this company
appeared up until 1859

The Bendigo AdveriserThursday 16 September 1858- Edmund must have been put forward as a
Wardenship for the Goldfields as long letter was written as to why Edmund and
his ilk were not suitable for the job.

1859: Bendigo AdvertiserThursday 28 July 1859

A court case was referred to in the paper listing
Edmund Harrison as being called to give an account of the proceedings of a
perjury case O’Keefe versus Lawson. At this time he is listed as being the
sub-editor of The Mercury.(The Bendigo Mercury was a paper that only lasted
until 1860)

1860: Frank
Harrison born to Edmund and Jane

1861:

VICTORIA POLICE GAZETTE June 27, 1861

Stolen from a box belonging to Edmund Harrison, left
in a yard in La Trobe street west, before daylight on the 20th instant a new
pair of oxford mixture and an old pair of black trousers, a black frock coat
somewhat worn, a black cloth vest, 4 old vests, 3 flannel undervests, 2 night shirts,
7 day shirts buttoning at the back made for studs, 3 day shirts marked E.
Harrison, a pair of merino pants, 2 pair of old cotton pants, 2 old under
vests, an under blanket, and a pair of upper blankets, 2 pair of socks, 5 pair
of stockings, 5 black silk neckties, a crimson comforter, a pair of braces, 10
cotton and 2 silk pocket handkerchiefs, an oblong mahogany dressing case, with
shaving, nail, and toothbrushes, glass on the lid, and large oval hair brush;
and a box containing water colours and mathematical instruments.-24th June,
1861.

Reference in the "History
of Ballarat" by W. B. Withers -
"The Tribune came next,
appearing on the 21st November 1861, and ending on the 11th July, 1863, Mr
Harrison, previously of the Ballarat
Times being the manager and editor, and at last sole proprietor." It is noted also in this reference that the Ballarat Times appeared between 4th
March 1854 to 5th October 1861. When Edmund worked at the Times is unknown.

Found him listed in the Ballaarat East Petty Sessions
Register 31st July, 1861[2]

Edmund
had attended an evening's entertainment by J R Black at the Mechanics Institute.

1862: Maud Harrison born to Edmund and Jane.

The
Ballarat Star - Thursday 24 April 1862

At the
Eastern Police Court E.T Woods v Edmund Harrison 4 pounds balance for work and
labour. This case was dismissed.

The
Ballarat Star - Friday 28 November 1862

County Court Quinn v Harrison to recover a sum of
money for work done,

The
Ballarat Star - Friday 5 December 1862

Heffernan
v Edmund Harrison to recover money for work and labour done.

1863: VICTORIA
POLICE GAZETTE August 6, 1863

A Warrant of commitment, in default of distress, has been
issued at Ballaarat West, at the suit of Francis R. Mitchison, against Edmond
Harrison, aged about 35, 5 feet 7 inches high, slender build, about 10stone
weight, sallow complexion, thin face, sharp features, small mouth, thin lips,
long and pointed chin, small well-shaped
feet, smart, quick and active gait, and general

appearance that of a clerk or
business man: wore brown suit and white hat.
He was formerly editor of the Tribune, Ballaarat. He is supposed to be about Ballaarat.-5th
August, 1863.

Further
investigation showed the Ballarat Tribune
was established in 1861, the office was in Main Road, Ballarat. The Printer and Publisher was Henry John
Turner for the Proprietor Edmund Harrison of Bridge Street, Ballarat.

An
Indenture of Assignment was set up between Edmund Harrison newspaper proprietor
and John Smith Carver and John Allen Harvey to pay off his creditors .(This
also appeared in The Ballarat Star on the same day.)

Victorian Government Gazette 1863 Part 3

NOTICE is hereby given that by indenture of
assignment,

bearing date the eleventh day of August, 1863, made

between Edmund Harrison, of Ballaarat, newspaper
proprietor,

of the first part; John Smith Carver and John Allen
Harvey,

both of Ballaarat, therein described, being trustees
for the purposes

therein mentioned of the second part ; and the several

persons whose names and seals are subscribed and
affixed

to the schedule A to said indenture, being severally
and respectively

creditors of the said Edmund Harrison, of the third

part ; all and singular the personal estate, goods,
chattels, credits,

He is supposed to have married Ellen Lonergan in Bendigo about this time.

Blanche Harrison born to Edmund
and Jane

1867: Edmund and Ellen's first
child Louis Harrison is born at Sandhurst.

1868: Shared the
Editorial responsibility of "The Bendigo Advertiser"
with J.B. Thompson in these years

1869: Shared the Editorial
responsibility of "The Bendigo Advertiser"
with J.B. Thompson in these years.

Listed as a member of the
Yorick Club in Melbourne.

Edmund Harrison
born to Edmund and Jane and died 1947 Kyneton, age 78.

1870: Shared the
Editorial responsibility of "The Bendigo Advertiser"
with J.B. Thompson in these years.[3]

10th October
1870 Victorian Police Gazette

EDMUND HARRISON is charged, on warrant, with
deserting his

child in care of Elizabeth Smith, at Melbourne, on
the 5th

instant. He is English, a reporter or clerk, aged
40, 5 feet S

inches high, very thin build, black hair turning
grey, small red

whiskers and moustache, grey eyes, sunken cheeks,
all the upper

front teeth gone; a member of the Yorick Club; well
known

to writers for the press; wore dark trousers and
coat, and dark

belltopper with black band.-10th October 1870.

November 8th
1870 Police Gazette

EDMUND HARRISON, charged with deserting his child,
in care

of Elizabeth Smith, has been arrested by the Echuca
police,

Mclvor.-3rd November 1870.

The Bendigo Advertiser - Saturday 31 December 1870

MELBOURNE.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Friday, 30th December.

Amongst, the on dits of the day, as to
electioneering matters, is one that Mr. Edmund Harrison, a well-known
journalist, for many years in Melbourne, Ballarat, and Sandhurst, and 0ne who
took a prominent part, in the early political struggles of the colony, will
offer himself for Mandurang at the forthcoming election.

A Mrs Harrison is listed in the Victorian directory at
Fitzroy (This may be Ellen?)

1871: Jessie
Harrison is born in Fitzroy, to Edmund and Ellen.

The McIvor
Times and Rodney Advertiser -Friday
6 January 1871

Mr Edmund Harrison a well known
journalist will, it is said offer himself for Mandurang at the forthcoming
election.(News of this also appeared in The Argus and The Bendigo Advertiser)

The Argus Monday January 2nd

Mr Edmund Harrison and Mr J B Thompson are spoken of
as intending to place themselves in nomination, the former for Mandurang and the
later for one of the Ballarat constituencies. (Legislative Assembly)

The Bendigo Advertiser - Monday 23 January 1871

“Rodney
Election – The Riverine Herald”Mr Edmund Harrison’s announcement of his
candituture for Rodney appears in the advertising columns of the same journal.

The Argus - Wednesday
January 25th - Mr E. Harrison has placed himself in candidature for Rodney. (Legislative Assembly)

The Argus - Thursday
February 16

Mr E. Harrison has retired from his candidature in
Rodney.

The Bendigo Advertiser - Friday 17 February 1871

Mr. Edmund Harrison I find retires from the
contest, for Rodney, I believe more on the ground that he will not peril the
return of a man of independent principles than any other cause.

The Sands and McDougall Directory have Edmund
Harrison listed as a printer in Kyneton.

1872: A Mrs
Harrison is listed in the Melbourne
directory at 196 Moor Street,
Fitzroy. (This may be Ellen, as no Mr Edmund Harrison is listed).

Herbert Harrison
born to Edmund and Jane. (Have a copy of the birth certificate.)

1873: Edmund
Harrison (Jnr) is born in Fitzroy. Found an Edmund Harrison listed in the SA
Advertiser as a passenger on the Tararus Steamer leaving Port Adelaide for Port
Darwin via Newcastle. I don’t think this is our Edmund but can’t find out what
he was doing in this time frame.

The Bendigo
Advertiser - The Elections.—Mr. Edmund Harrison, of the Geelong
Advertiser, publishes his address to the electors of Barwon in yesterday
morning's issue of that journal. He announces himself in favor of the Berry
platform.

The Argus - Friday
April 20th (This was also recorded in The Gippsland Times and The
Camperdown Chronicle on the same day)

Mr Edmund
Harrison one of the candidates for Barwon has intimated to the electors that he
has determined ‘to retire from the contest. He states that he “will not submit
to that selection of candidate which in the interests of the Liberal party is
inevitable”, and therefore retires.

A letter by him is published, where he mentions
being the editor of the Geelong Advertiser. He mentions his name at the
end including the Yorick Club.

From research
on this, "The Yorick Club was the outcome of the literary and Bohemian spirits who used then to assemble nightly at the Café of
the Theatre Royal to discuss coffee and intellectual subjects. These gatherings
grew so large in the course of time that it was found necessary, in order to
keep the communion up, to secure accommodation where the flow of genius, if
nothing else, might have full play without interruption and intrusion from
those deemed outside the particular and shining pale. Accordingly a room was
rented and furnished in Bohemian fashion, with some cane chairs, a deal table,
a cocoa-nut matting and spittoons. In this the first meeting was held in order
to baptise the club. The meeting in question debated, with the assistance of
sundry pewters and pipes—not empty, gentle reader—the subject warmly from the
first proposition made by Clarke, that the club should be called “Golgotha,” or
the place of skulls, to the last, “alas, poor Yorick!” This brief name was
accepted as appropriate, and the somewhat excited company adjourned to a
Saturday night’s supper at a jovial Eating-House, too well known to fame".[4]

1879: At some
stage Edmund and his wife Fanny travelled to New Zealand and on 11 August 1879
George Berkeley Harrison Jnr is born at Turner St, Auckland, New Zealand.

1882: Walter Ernest Harrison’s marriage to Annie Leete states he was
born at Sandhurst and states his father’s profession as Newspaper Editor.
(Marriage Record 2760)

1885: Cannot
find the registration of this birth but from other records Constance
Harrison was born on 18th March 1885 in Melbourne, Victoria to an
unknown mother.

The Argus - Thursday 26 March 1885

HARRISON. —On the 18th inst., at Moonee Ponds,
the wife of Edmund Harrison of a daughter. (TROVE)

I did find a Harrison listed in the Sands and
Kenny Directory of 1886 at Eglington St, Moonee Ponds.

I found a Mrs E Harrison at 30 Victoria St West
(possibly means in Collingwood or Fitzroy).

1888: On the 14th
August, Louis (Bookkeeper) married Agnes Lang [5](Born Fitzroy c1867), parents
William Lang, Merchant and Alice Wagner, at Saint Peters C of E East Melbourne. Witnesses were Arthur Cant and Helena Gough.
They were both residents of Fitzroy at the time.

1891: 1891 Census of England
– County
of London,
Parish of Paddington, Ecclesiastic Parish of Holy Trinity. 12 Gloucester Cres.
Edmund Harrison, Occupation was noted as living on his own means. Listed as
married. Born London, Lodger aged 62 listed with Violet Harrison, daughter aged
10 born New Zealand
and Constance Harrison Aged 6 born (looks like Victoria
SA?). No Mrs Harrison and was lodging with a widow Clare E Clark and her
children Ethel and Mabel

Jane Harrison nee McGee died at
Kyneton and Edmund is stated as her husband on death record and age 57. (Death
Record 2369)

Sands and Kenny Victorian Directory: From 1889 found a Mrs Fanny Harrison living at 117
Napier St Fitzroy and then 69 Hoddle St.

In 1890 Louis Harrison was
living at 115 Hotham St Collingwood, 1891 at 111 Hotham St, 1894 and 1895 at 90
Hotham St. Mrs Ellen Harrison in 1890 was at 190 Wellington St, Collingwood and
then in 1894 and 1895 was near her son at 117 Hotham St.

1892: Mrs Ellen
Harrison in Sands and McDougall directory at 3 King William St, Fitzroy.

1894:

Note: The Bendigo Advertiser Saturday
23 June 1894 – mentions the existence of

PIONEERS OF
BENDIGO.

PHOTOGRAPHIC
REMINISCENCES.

A photographic
picture has just been pre- pared which should possess a deep interest
for Bendigonians and all who have connections with the great goldfield
throughout the colony. Its title is "Pioneers of Bendigo," and it
comes from the studio of Mr. H. Hansen, photo grapher, M'Crae-street, to the
order of Mr. Richard Walker, of Melbourne. It is certainly one of the most
remarkable and interesting pictures ever produced from any studio consider-
ing the difficulty the artist had to contend with owing to the different kinds
of photos supplied, many of them being much decayed, he has been most
successful in reproducing the features in a very distinct form. The picture
contains no fewer than 472 likenesses of the pioneers of Bendigo representing
the period of its historybetween 1851 and 1860,
but the great majorityof them are taken from the
time between 1851-6.The picture is 6 feet by 4½
feet. Edmund Harrison is one of the pioneers in this photograph.

1897: On the 24th
November Jessie Harrison married James Keefe [6](Coach Builder). He was born at Brighton
c1871 to John Keefe (Driver) and Mary Dean and was residing at Collingwood as
was Jessie. They were married at Saint
Joseph's Catholic Church Collingwood. Their witnesses were Edmund Harrison and
Minna Harrison.

1900: On the 2nd May Minna
Gertrude Harrison (Tailoress) was married to John Joseph McCaffrey[7] (Butcher) of Richmond at Saint
Joseph's Catholic Church, Collingwood. John was born in 1872 at Castlemaine,
Victoria to Phillip McCaffrey (Driver) and
Catherine Brady from Fermanagh, Eire[8]. Witnesses at the wedding were James Keefe and
Ellen Harrison.

The Bendigo
Advertiser - Saturday
22 September 1900

A Pioneer by Bert Levy No. V111

Excerpt –

"A commission of inquiry, which had been
sitting at Ballarat. and elsewhere, arrived, in Bendigo on the 1st
January, '55, and a meeting of . the. Goldfields' Reform League was held to receive
them. Messrs. Westgarth, Fawkner, and other members of the commission attended
this meeting of the league, and asked its members to appoint deputies to
represent the diggers on the commission. This request was complied with, and
the fol lowing gentlemen were appointed to represent the diggers accordingly
Mr. Edmund Harrison (correspondent, of the Melbourne "Morning Herald"
who had been throughout the agitation a warm friend of the diggers, a clever
man. and of sound judgment), Mr. Robert Benson (another prominent leader of of
the diggers. Mr William Hopkins, and myself. The commission met at Harney's hotel,
and took evidence, numerous witnesses being examined. To make a long story short, I may state that
the commission of inquiry having received voluminous evidence from all quarters
of the maladministration of the goldfields, and the evil effects of the licence
tax system, sent in a report to the Government in the following March
condemning in the strongest terms the system, of Government that prevailed
there, and amply justifying the diggers in all steps they had taken within the
constitution to have it altered. Even in the Ballarat outbreak which they
condemned, the commission admitted that the diggers had received very strong
provocation.”

1901: Ellen May
Harrison was married to Michael James O'Hara at Collingwood.[9]

Constance Harrison located as a Boarder at 3
Windsor Rd,
Ealing. Her age 16, Single, employment undefined,
Born Victoria, Australia. Can’t find a birth of her in Victoria. She was residing with a Mrs May
Humburger of Ohio, USA, a musician.

Violet D
Harrison a visitor at Crabton Close Rd Carmelisa, Bournemouth, Aged 20, born New Zealand
was residing with a George E Norman, physician and surgeon and his family..

1904: Edmund
(Jnr) dies at Melbourne
East Hospital
age 31[10], and is buried on 25/11/1904
at Melbourne General Cemetery R.C. section, DD, Grave 56. Couldn't find a marked grave site when I
searched for this.

The Age-
Thursday November, 24th 1904.

Deaths: On
the 23rd November Edmond, the beloved son of Ellen Harrison, 33 Napier St, Fitzroy, aged 32 yrs, no
flowers by request.

Funeral Notice:
The friends of Mrs Ellen Harrison are respectfully invited to follow the
remains of her beloved son Edmond
to the place of interment, Melbourne Gen Cem.
The funeral will leave her residence, 33 Napier St, Fitzroy tomorrow friday
25th inst. at 3 O clock.

John Daley- Undertaker Latrobe and Spring St
Melbourne. Tel 827.

1905: Ellen
Harrison nee Lonergan dies age 55 at Raphael Street Collingwood on 10/07/1905[11], and was buried at
12/07/1905 at Melbourne General Cemetery R.C. section, DD, Grave 238. A search for this grave site was
unsuccessful.

The Age, Tuesday, July 11th 1905

Deaths:
Harrison - On the 10th July at the residence of her son - in law, 30
Raphael St, Abbotsford, Ellen the dearly beloved mother of Louis Harrison, Mrs
Keefe, Mrs McCaffrey, Mrs O'Hara, after long suffering. Aged 55 years. English and Bendigo Papers please copy.

The Age, Wednesday, July 12th 1905

Funeral Notices:
Harrison - The friends of the late Mrs Ellen Harrison are respectfully
invited to follow her remains to the place of interment, Melbourne General
Cemetery. The funeral will leave her residence, 30 Raphael St.
Abbotsford this day Wednesday 12th, inst at 3'O clock.

A
book printed in 1911 “Yorick Club Reminiscences - The
Yorick club it's origin and development May 1868 to December 1910” Atlas Press mentions Edmund as a member of the
club. Originally the Yorick Club was established for the purpose of bringing
together literary men and those connected with literature, art or science. This
then changed in 1871 to be “the Yorick
club is established for the purpose of bringing together literary, artistic,
scientific and professional men.”

The first home for the club was in a room next to the Argus newspaper
office.

Page 33

"The club jogged on
quietly under various office bearers for some years. It's most active committee
men were Simple, Jardine-Smith, James Blackburn, Edmund Harrison (especially
thanked for his services in effecting the moving)........" This would have been to the floor above
the Stilwell and Co building at 78 Collins St which was owned by Henry Miller
of the Bank of Victoria.

In
the 1911 census of England and Wales Edmund is living at “The Cottage, Lambton,
Heston-Hounslow” aged 82 a retired journalist with his daughters Constance and
Violet and a young woman boarding. He is listed as a widower with 4 children to
that present marriage. So there is one child we have not accounted for and
George Berkeley Junior was also dead by then. Violet was secretary to an art
dealer and Constance had a milliner’s business.

1918: Louis
Harrison dies at Mornington age 51[12]. (Agnes his wife is listed as
the Licensee for the Grand Hotel Mornington from 21/12/1907 to 23/12/1918)

1921: Found the
death of an Edmund Harrison 31 October 1921, Aged 91 years. Died at 20 Bramley
Hill, South Croydon.
Resided 28 Nova Road,
Croydon and was formerly a Journalist. Died of senile decay, chronic nephritis
and Absemic Coma?

V D Harrison daughter was present at death resident of 36
Lexham Gardens.

1950: Violet Dunant Harrison died on 17th
April 1950 at Sunnybank Hospital, Cannes
the sister of Constance Bury.[13]

1959: Constance
Bury nee Harrison died on 26 February at Chelsea, London, England.

2 comments:

You have certainly done an amazing amount of research on this rather naughty Edmund Harrison! Hopefully he at least provided for most of his families, if not being very present for them over time! I came across your blog while searching for some Simcocks to whom I am apparently related, but can't discover exactly how! I am a more casual family genealogist, but I'm still keen to discover the correct links between families, so I'm not giving up on the Simcocks yet. I've chased up Timothy Simcock & the Close family, so I can see where you fit in, but I discovered that is not my species of Simcock. All I know is that I met an Allan Simcock/Simcox in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1966 just before I turned 14 & he was the same age. My father called him my "cousin" but there was no uncle or aunty that I was introduced to at the same time- so where was he linked? I only discovered last week that my father's great aunt, Annie Walker, had married a Mr Wheeldon and produced a daughter Freda, who went on to marry a Fred Simcock in 1943. However, I can't trace Fred & Freda anywhere at all, let alone to Auckland, New Zealand! I wonder if you have any Fred & Fredas among your Simcocks? Just an outside chance, but I had to ask!As a health researcher, I really appreciate the research you've done on your family tree. I must explore the rest of your connections! The best version of my tree is at Red1st.com and anyone may view it. I'm "Margaret Kable Walker" on there - that's my real whole name.

I have been tracing the war history of my teachers at Bairnsdale High School in the 1950s. One of them was Lou Harrison. At http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/ there is a record of a Louis George Harrison, born in Mornington on 3 August 1916, His next of kin is given as Estelle Harrison, presumably his mother. Do you know whether he was of the same family and, if so, perhaps have any other information that might flesh out his military and teaching history?

The Argus of 13 October 1916 records the following notice:"HARRISON.-Mr. and Mrs. LOUIS HARRISON sen., and familv, Grand Hotel, Mornington, desire to express their heartfelt THANKS to their many friends for their sincere expressions of sympathy in the loss of their son and brother, George, who died of wounds received in France, 16th August 1916." My guess is this refers to the father of "my" Lou Harrison. Perhaps you can put me right on that too. stephensonhw[at]gmail[dot]com